Brookstone Review + Feedback & Discussion

How is the price of the products/service offered compared to the competition? (10 = cheapest found, 5 = average) - 1 person rated the prices offered by the store a score of 1
How long did it take for you to get a reply from customer service? - 68 hours on average experienced by 1 person
hour(s)

User-Submitted Reviews of Brookstone & Testimonials

I just returned an item which I got for Christmas. Just made the 60 day return policy. The salesclerk looked at the item and said it was over 60 days. She said "Dec. 19, this is past." I said "today is Feb 19th. She went to call the manager. This woman was NOT happy with the return. She kept shaking her head (message: stupid customer) as she peeled off a sticker and then the gift receipt. She then rudely said with ice dripping off her voice, still shaking her head, "NEXT time I won't take this back if you stick all these things on it." I did not tape the gift receipt. Nor did I stick anything to it. I wanted to say, NEXT time???There won't be a next time. I am done with you. But I said nothing because she had yet to write me a store credit.

If the store does not want you to return things, then say so. Put up a sign that says, "We don't want your return. Buy it and shut up." At least that would be more honest. This was the store in Honolulu at the Ward Center of Shops.

But to put on an absolutely sour face and shake your head from side to side and quietly sigh let me know that I am stupid and have the nerve to return anything. I said nothing but will tell EVERYONE I know about this. Business must just be booming at this store for them to treat people this way.

You had a put a sticker or stickers on it? That doesn't sound like it was returned it like new condition. I kinda don't blame them for not wanting to take it back. There's no excuse for being rude, but really stickers?

by Sticker?? • 7 years ago

7 out of 7 people said 'YES'

115680

Posted by Veronica (7 years ago)

BAD Online Customer Service and Follow Up

I placed an order online on 12/13/2011 for two items that included guaranteed delivery by Christmas Eve. I received an order confirmation email the same night stating both items were in stock and I would receive tracking info when my order shipped. I followed up with Brookstone on the 17th, they replied on the 19th stating my items would ship directly from the vendor and that I would receive my order 5 to 7 days after the order shipped. This information was useless! I requested their vendor contact info, I just wanted to track my order to make sure I received my father' gifts by Christmas. Brookstone sent another email stating one of the items was out of stock but then received this item on the 22nd. I checked my bank account and found I was charged for both items. I've been emailing them since then and keep receiving the same information “We are sorry that we are not yet able to answer your inquiry. We are still awaiting information from other resources and will respond to your inquiry as soon as possible.” It's been a month since I placed my order, never received the second item and this experience has been a big inconvenience from day one! I will never purchase from them again and am now calling my bank to dispute the charge, this is ridiculous!

brookstone reviews on line are bogus

I have purchased an ineed neck massager that began to emit a terrible odor. i did not relize it was the neck massager for weeks. i thought i had a leak and was growing mold somewhere in my bedroom, that is how badly it smelled. Finally when I figured it out , i returned the product a wrote a review-no expletives or profanity of any kind, they never printed it. So i wrote another, still never saw it.

Mine stinks too, it is so strong and toxic smelling that I do not use it. Wish I could return it.

by Peter Ries • 4 years ago

4 out of 4 people said 'YES'

130950

Posted by Linda S. (8 years ago)

Brookstone scam

I wish I had read the numerous negative reviews before placing an online order with Brookstone. I was sent a UPS tracking number from them, a few days after purchase, indicating that my package had shipped.

While in fact, Brookstone never sent anything to UPS. UPS had created a label and was awaiting Brookstone's shipment to their facility. After waiting 7 business days, I contacted Brookstone to find out what happened to my order. They apologized and promised that my order would be shipped that day with next day delivery. After waiting 2 business days my package had still not arrived so I contacted Brookstone again to find out what happened. This time I was told that they would assign a new order number and ship my package that day. Why would you assign a new order number to a package that was supposed to have shipped days ago? Needless to say, my package has still not arrived.

Thank goodness, I ordered through Amazon and will receive a full refund through their guarantee program.

I will never do business with this company again and I recommend that you don’t either.

Ordered item online from Brookstone on Jan 4. Order# 60943094. No response to first four emails re where is item and tracking#. On Jan 21 I was told item is on back order until Feb 11, and no tracking number is available. This is about as bad as it gets, in my view.

Never Never Never Never again. Not satisfied with merchandise quality or the condescending 'customer service', or the return policy. If you are foolish enough to actually pay CASH for anything from these crooks in a retail store - just hope that you won't need to return the item - as the best you can hope for is that they will EVENTUALLY mail you a refund check as, according to the store manager, they DO NOT HAVE ANY CASH IN THE REGISTERS! After working several years in retail myself I've never heard of such bold, insulting lies.

Unbelievable

Can you believe the couple of Brookstone reviews that demand that you "get over yourself". They're just validating the claims of arrogant condescending customer service from Brookstone. My rep was very polite but concluded by saying "I'm sorry there's nothing I can do for you today, can I help you some other way". Which is a good and professional response. However it was because she was telling me that Brookstone doesn't carry any replacement parts for the two $300 Air Purifiers I bought from them. I, unlike the spoiled, unreasonable people the couple of redneck (probably just one ignorant, High School dropout guy)referred to, wasn't looking for an out of date refund, just a five cent plastic part to fix my two units myself. The one guy says you should feel bad if your company went out of business and you had a family and lost your job. Are people that numb? And then asks "why is society so corrupt?". It's because of guys like you who thing Brookstone should stay in business ripping people off. Just so you can have a job helping the do it! Unbelievable. Why IS society so corrupt. It's because of companies and people like these guys. There are still companies trying to win your business honestly and ethically. Let's seek them out and boycott Brookstone and their ilk. And the two retail "experts" should find something in gasoline dispensing.

Liars! Sub-par products - no product support

HORRIBLE customer service. LYING sales people. I bought an extended warranty on a miserable massager that quit working five minutes after it started! $99 for a piece of garbage.

The only reason I bought the warranty was because the lying sales clerk told me that if anything when wrong I would get my money back within the two year warranty. She obviously knew it was a piece of worthless junk.

They refused to give me my money back, even with the warranty - only a gift card to a store whose products I would NEVER purchase again!!! So I not only lost the price of the massager, but also of the warranty.

Whatever you do, DO NOT BE TEMPTED TO BUY FROM THIS PLACE!!!!! Caveat emptor really applies here. SERIOUS GARBAGE.

Pros:

NONE

Cons:

THEY LIE- THEY PUSH YOU TO BUY A WARRANTY BECAUSE THEY KNOW THEIR STUFF IS WORTHLESS AND YOU WILL GET NOTHING FOR IT.

Terrible service!

Ordered items long before Christmas for presents. Order came missing items. I called and was told there would be no problem receiving them before Christmas. Two days before Christmas still did not have the shipment. Customer service said they shipped out the items via US Mail and added "I don't know why we would have done that". Was assured again that the items would arrive before Christmas. Checked on Christmas eve, still no delivery. This time I was told the shipment was made by UPS. I asked if I could return the items if I received them. I was told I would have to pay for the return and I would have to call back again to set that up. No offer of help of any kind. Lots of other options out there - don't use Brookstone!

I was injured on black Friday of 2010 by the ineed neck and shoulder messager. I was testing the thing when it went crazy and started vigorously slaming my shoulder.

I contacted an assistant manager who took my information and gave it head quarters. An insurance agent contacted me. She was so unprofessional. I had to call her all the time to follow she never contacts me unless I go to the the vice preseden'ts executive assistant ( who contacted me becuase I went to the bbb). Four months later I got a lousy check for $200 which doesn't even cover my copays.

Pathetically, absurdly bad customer service. The "guarantee" of 3 day delivery is simply a scam. Rude, unhelpful and argumentative agents at customer service had less info about the UPS delivery time than I did. I will probably not receive my order of x-mas gifts until after x-mas because of Brookstone's monumental incompetence and empty, false promises. It is now my mission in life to save anyone I know the frustration of dealing with the incompetence and myriad scams of this unscrupulous company. Order #60907492 Fairfax, Ca

Bureaucracy and Apathy Abound: End of a relationship

i've spent thousands with Brookstone. Won't be spending any more. Terrible, they tried a bait and switch on an extended warranty of all things. I said, you're losing me. You could hear crickets. That's it for me.

Bought: PS210 BT NC EARPHONE

Order Date: 2013-04-14

Date Received: 2013-04-14

Pros:

They didn't yell?

Cons:

Bait and switch on extended warranty. Apathetic people on their phones. I've been a great customer (spent 1000s)

and nobody seemed to care. And the headphones really aren't very good.

Umbrella

I paid over $30 dollar for umbrella, they had in the past good quility. but this one the first time I use the wind broke it. Went to Tysons Corner store for a replacement. If you do not have a protection plan and the ticket WE CANNOT EXCHANGE. First there is not ID from where is this product made, If is from China I can buy the same for $5 dollars. I think the Federal Government should investigate Brookstone.

Wasted time and money

Purchased a radio and will NEVER purchase anything else. Returned it because the cd player quit after about a month, so I got a new one. Cd player quit on this one as well, returned it and got another one. Remote quit on the 3rd one...

Brookstone is a disappointment

Unfortunately, my experience with Brookstone does not have a happy ending. I have shopped there for years, but will probably not shop there in the future...read on:

I own a Max2 handheld massager from Brookstone, which I love. It is a great product. Unfortunately, I broke it and it is out of warranty. I was able to open the device and found a simple part had broken.

To my dismay, Brookstone will not sell me the part (which is a very simple rubber bushing) This device costs $200 and is still sold in their stores.

Now, the company can 'bend me over a barrel' and hope that I just buy a new one....which I think is their general marketing tactic. I have come to find out that Brookstone does not sell after market parts for any of their products except massage chairs which are priced in the thousands of $s.

So would I buy an air purifier (approx $400 -600) from this company knowing that there is no aftermarket support? Maybe I should buy their extended warranty....??? still no after warranty support....for any other products.

I guess the best way to characterize this company is that it is truly a luxury products retailer and that it believes their customer base has a high elasticity to poor after market support simply opting to buy more new 'sh...' instead of simply fixing things that cost over maybe $150.

Buyer beware...this is a 'gimmick' based business model similar to websites that make it almost impossible to opt out of a trial period or some other 'sticky' strategy. See if you can get a $200 watch fixed aftermarket....usually not a problem.

I guess I'm not a luxury product marketing target after all. But why then does the company have stores anywhere other than Beverly Hills and Manhattan? Go figure.

Just looked at their corporate earnings release....big cash burn for the last two years...I hope Christmas this year turns out well for them!!!

My guess is, from experience, that they are underestimating their warranty obligations and making a terrible financial picture a little bit better. Don't count on this company making it through the current economic conditions.

First of all I have been dealing with retailers for years. It is very rare to find one the does sell after market parts. Understand it is up to the manufacturer of the products (a lot of times just because it says the co. name does not mean they are the manufacturer) I find it disturbing that just because you did not get what you want you "predict" the company with 300+ stores and thousands of employees will go out of business. These days, that is NOT a joke. Knock it off suck it up and go into a different store and see what can be done, if nothing than yeah dish out the money and get a new product if you like it so much. Retail is NOT easy and if you have not worked it than you have no room to make posts like these...we all are entitled to our opinions just make sure yours make sense

by Red • 8 years ago

5 out of 8 people said 'YES'

129280

Posted by Santa's Elf (8 years ago)

I have shopped at Brookstone for years and considered it a reputable company. Little did I know what an absurd return policy they have even during the holiday season.

I typically do my Christmas shopping in October and early November. I ordered an item that cost over $200 with shipping. When my husband opened it on Christmas morning, I was very disappointed that it did not work as well as described. When I called to check about returning it, I was told that I could not receive a refund as it had been purchased over 30 days ago. The customer service was not acceptable.

I will never shop with Brookstone again either online or in person. They are not a customer friendly store. Order #60621789.

I placed an order online for a multitude of products from Brookstone for Christmas on Nov 3rd. All of the items in my order (over $1800) was in stock, yet it was still scheduled for shipping on Nov 18th! I should've called to ask why, but I figured I'd exercise patience. Because we lived between our home in NJ and our new condo in PA (which needed a bed for the second bedroom, which I ordered for Brookstone for Thanksgiving company), and running a business, I had a plethera of things to attend to. Thus, I didn't get to call Brookstone until Dec 1, 2010. I pulled up the confirmation email sent, obtained the order # and called Brookstone. The automated system did not accept/recognize my order #. Bad sign. When I finally reached a sales rep, she told me my order was cancelled and she could not see why or how. I thought perhaps my Saks Platinum Mastercard may have been the culprit, since my new condo address (where all of my purchases were being shipped to) wasn't registered with the card and perhaps they stopped it. I called Saks Mastercard, expecting to give them a piece of my mind and cancel my card (I spend about 10K/month on that card) if they had held my order without the decency of contacting me. The Saks representative told me that my card was successfully processed and get this...I had paid for the products!!!! Wow! Imagine my surprise. I hate that my life had become so busy that I didn't notice Brookstone billed me and did NOT issue a credit once they cancelled my order! Imagine how many others have been ripped off this way! The kicker too, was that the representative, apparently not an employee of the company, could care less, and told me to place the order again (before I realized that I had paid for it already) with no offer to redue it for me. Nope, I had to go back, find the brochure and re-enter my order, taking more time from my life, to increase the bottom line of Brookstone. Oh, that's right, they're a big corporation and I'm just one of the people who allow them to be in business, so it must be me that has a sense of entitlement and expectation for even "reasonable" customer service from a company that takes my money! my order number was 6059077. Mt. Laurel, NJ

am sure you know how terrible your customer service is. Just for your information, as I am sure you hear this quite frequently not only from customers on the phone, email or in stores, your policies are not customer friendly, and your product almost 10 to 1 are not good quality. You are crooks, will never go in your store again, purchase any of your products, and will tell everyone I know to avoid your company. I hope you go under as you deserve to.

Beware! Beware! Brookstone sold me a rechargeable battery for this vest that had been sitting on their shelves for over a year. It wouldn't recharge the second time I tried to use it. Their customer service was rude and basically said "You're out of luck." Check out the many complaints against this company as well as many other consumer sites. Do business with Brookstone at your own peril.

BEWARE! Sleeping Items

I purchased a pillow at the Austin, TX, Barton Creek store, but I was not informed that the sale was final. I could not get used to the item I purchased, so I wanted to returne it. The manager of the store informed me that a Texas law did not allow returns for sleeping items. No one when I purchased the item informed me that I could not return it once I took it out of the store. This was the last purchase by me at this store.

Breakdown in communications

Bought a cover for my "new iPad" and was encouraged by the sales associate to register the "Brookstone Protection Plan" when I got to a computer and to keep the box. Tried, but no luck. Called customer service and they checked with their supervisor, who said to try again in seven days and forget the box unless I planned to return it. For a company servicing electronic and high-tech equipment, they seem to be use a quill and scroll. Not impressed at all.

Mr.

$5.00 SHIPPING NO MINIMUM ORDER so I just glanced as I went to the webpage to purchase the $4.99 guitar.

To Be Honest I did not notice when I was submitting the order the total price $47.41 after clicking on submit and seeing I was charged $40.60 for shipping and handling I went into shock.

True I live in Hawaii and and things cost more to ship here.

The package arrived on time but felt I paid way too much for this item or rather the cost to get it to me. I called Brookstone customer service told them the product did not suit my needs. They were willing to refund my item price but not the $40.60 shipping.

I then explained that this was not acceptable. I wanter to return the product and not have to pay for shipping it back.

They put me in touch with a supervisor and she said I had to pay for shipping it back if I want a full refund.

I then mentioned that most likely I would blog about my experience and share this with as many friends as realistic using twitter.

After about 5 minutes of being on hold the supervisor at Brookstone said they would issue a full refund of $47.41

back to the credit card.

Now I just got off the phone and sharing this experience so it will take time before seeing a refund on my credit card.

Final word please be careful purchasing online from Brookstone do not assume anything copy the discount code before ordering and look closely at the shipping and handling charges before you submit order.

Cheap product

Was given a device to locate keys for Christmas. Put the device on my refrigerator so that I could push the button to locate my keys. The button pushing works okay but the magnet in the device is very weak and the device keep sliding down the refrigerator and hitting the floor. Very unsatisfactory device. With all these negative reviews they will be out of business soon unless they improve.

Pros:

The device does locate keys with in 60 feet. Item given as a present at Christmas. Do not have a partial item number etc.

If I needed to script a bad customer service video, I would have all the fodder required from my recent fiasco with trying to return an UNOPENED items, WITH RECEIPT within the return period. Problem was, my wallet had been stolen and I did not have my card to credit the return back to. the only way they can deal with this is to give a store credit. I got the run around from a handful of corporate people trying to help, had to explain my story to another dozen, finally got a call back with resolution 4 days AFTER the return window and my choices were. 1) keep the item since it was four days outside the return window, or 2) mail it - very large box- to corporate paying postage myself for a refund.

their policies are completely outside the times (do they realize that in a recession the goal is to create policies that KEEP customers, not tick them off so they tell everyone about it?), their service and follow through shameful, and their products so-so.

be prepared for junkmail

while i do like the products i bought from them, i have trouble getting them to stop sending me junkmail. they have my physical address bc of extended warranty on the stuff i bought, which i have to fill out the info... the sneaky business. i have sent 3 requests to have them stop sending my junkmail, but it just continues to come. they have no regards for your privacy.

I work in retail, as a manager and consumer myself, Im sick and tired of hearing about peoples gripes with return policies!I think brookstones is quite generous! Number 1....you have a WHOLE MONTH to return the product and get your money back. If youre too lazy to get your rear end back to the store to return it in that time, then its your fault! Brookstone even provides a WHOLE EXTRA month for you to return to get a store credit! If you needed the money that bad, rather than a credit, you shouldnt have bought the item to begin with..and why would you wait more than a few days to return something you dont like anyways??? Ok...so you got it as a gift past the return policy...so regift it, or donate it! Get a tax write-off! Shut up and stop whining about the item you cant return for cash. If you wanted cash that bad, then thats what you should have made known as what you wanted for a gift. Its not that uncommon these days. As to Julie's comments...it is shitty about the late response/no return thing, but consider this...how many people could come in and say they lost their credit card....or it got stolen, and get cash back. For all the store knows someone could have stolen the item, or used a falsified card that wont work any more or a host of other things. In any case..if you reported the theft/loss to your bank, just bring in a note, or have them call the bank....most stores will still honor it and give you cash or return to another card. I bet, even at brookstone.

And...referring to the comments on how companies should be *recession friendly*....and let customers return items way outside that time window or money type....think of this....the company needs to stay in business too! It provides the products you allegedly like, and jobs for people, which boost the economy. If they return and refund anything and everything for anyone who complains or thinks its unfair, then they'd go out of business and the economy would be even worse off! Seriously! If youre so worried about these policies, and the little money you have, why are you spending it frivolously at specialty stores???

Wah! Working in retail really helps you to see how selfish many people are in america. If you go abroad in many other countries once you put your money down and leave a store...that item is yours...and there is no return or refund! Those people understand and choose wisely what they buy. theyre not as materialistic!

You are clearly an employee of an inferior store. Probably Brookstone. Bad products equal unhappy customers. For God's sake, really? ALL of these consumers are wrong??? Go find a job with a trustworthy company and you won't have a problem GETTING OVER YOURSELF. RUDE!

Bought the Brookstone Mini Charging Valet for about $20 plus like $7 shipping and am very happy with it. It's keeping our cellphones charged and stored neatly. Please we can put keys & sunglasses on it also. We did have some trouble fitting both small power blocks of our cellphones in the compartment but they did finally both fit inside.

Brookstone is a great place to shop for the home and office. Some of the items that you can find here are slide scanners, to an osim imedic massage chair. Although the prices are a bit steep, you can always find promo coupons around to lower your cost.

follow the rules

Listen up idiots. The return policy is 30 days with a receipt. IF u paid with a credit or debit card, u need THAT card to get the money put back on it. That is the policy, hands down. Do u follow the law? Obey stop signs? Then why are u babies still moaning. If its past sixty days u get store credit. IF u do NOT have your original receipt, u will ONLY get store credit, because frankly, a lot of u are liars. Everyone grow up. If u make a poor purchase, its like everything else in life, move on. Brookstone consistently has greeters that welcome u, have specialized training on helping customer with disabilities and are willing to let the customers open and often demo every product. Can u do that at best buy, can u even FIND an employee that knows where anything is? Let's use some comment sense for the more obvious comment where people were leaving the finer but important detail. BTW if their register is empty u can only get a check because they physically have no money to give u. is that really a bad policy, or necessary because THERE IS NO F*MONEY TO GIVE U. Thank u, try not to be so stupid in ur daily lives. It'll make it much less stressful for us normal ones.

Regards

Pros:

Great customer service

Cons:

Stupid stupid customers with unrealistic expectations. Constant hard a$$es trying to return personal care item (which you are warned u can't return. It is a screen that comes up on the computer and the customer HAS to respond yes before the cashier can even his the total button. So u entered a contract idiot.)

Why?

Everyone who is negative about the return policy or any other policy at Brookstone stop being such privileged little babies. You get plenty of time to take care of business and it is YOUR responsibility to follow the rules of what ever store you shop at. Ohh and by the way the company is doing well because of all of the customers the constantly shop and follow the rules. No one is better than another so stop acting like a fool! If anyone dares to want the store to close (which it won't) think about if you worked somewhere and you had a family and got let go from work. Would that be a great day for you? Some people can be so stupid and selfish why has society become so corrupt?

You are making sweeping assumptions about the consumers of this store. You are probably a stakeholder in the company. Does it not concern you that SO MANY people find this store a disappointment??? It is NOT the customer, it is the product. I bought an extended warranty and returned a useless product well within the warranty time and they refused to give me my money back. Gave me a gift card to a store whose products have no value. Go work for someone you can be proud of.

by Amelia • 7 years ago

9 out of 12 people said 'NO'

129370

Posted by Brian (8 years ago)

Absurd, Rude Customers

Does any one know what it is like to work in retail and deal with jerks all day?? Everyone thinks that stores should bend over back words for morons who can not abide by a policy. You think Brookstone's policy is bad? Go to another country where refunds and exchanges don't exist!! 30 DAYS PEOPLE!!! 30!!! What the hell is so difficult about that??? 30 MORE just to do an exchange!!! STOP being such rude,obnoxious inconsiderate jerks and deal with what you have been dealt!!!

Yet another employee or stakeholder of a company that has lousy products. I've lived in foreign countries and they DO honor their products if they are reliable and trustworthy. What a stupid statement you made. Go work for a company who has value and you won't find so many negative reviews.

by Amelia • 7 years ago

I tried returning a product within a week of purchase because it did not do what it claimed. For information it is the outdoor wireless speaker. The sound cracked constantly regardless of which channel was used, it did not work with two ipods,or iphone (as claimed it would work with these),and no matter where the music source was adjusted on the transmitter or where the transmitter was placed in relation to the receiver it still would not function as claimed. When I went for a refund it was a complete dodge and customer service could not get their facts straight on return policies on their competitors. I went there for the first time, and since I am a college student and do not have a lot of money to spend on items of this sort, I do tend to pay attention to the return policy. Also I've worked retail, and know how much that sucks, which is why I didn't come in their using profanity or with a harsh attitude.

by Never again • 7 years ago

11 out of 14 people said 'NO'

126630

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